A Comparative Study Of Grammar Tasks Of Two English Textbooks For Elementary And Middle Schools

This study aims to explore the grammar task differences between two sets of English textbooks by focusing on the simple past tense tasks. The research questions mainly focus on grammar task types and features, grammar task differences between two textbooks, attitudes of teachers and students toward grammar tasks, and effects of grammar tasks. The study consists of two parts:one is task evaluation based on a checklist and the other is a questionnaire study. The research is conducted within a framework of foreign language textbook development theories, task design, material evaluation theories, and grammar teaching theories. The study shows that both New Century English and Oxford English emphasize the integration of language skills into grammar tasks, the combination of language knowledge and use, and the combination of input and output. It also reveals that grammar tasks feature authenticity, diversity, and interest. However, as for simple past tense tasks, there are clear distinctions between these two sets of English textbooks, in terms of appearance time of simple past tense tasks, task number, task type diversity, and task work styles. Both task evaluation and questionnaire study show that simple past tense appears too late in Oxford English and lags behind the students’ foreign language development, and that New Century English performs better than Oxford English, as the former can better fulfill students’ needs and initiate students’ interest through larger number of tasks, more diversified task types and task work styles, and smoother progress of task difficulties. Questionnaire study also shows that students, in general, require further improvement of grammar tasks. Teachers and students want more interesting grammar tasks, larger task numbers and smoother progress of difficulties. Improvement of grammar tasks should focus on the enhancement of interest, progression of difficulty and integration into authentic language use. It awaits further study to explore more interesting and effective design of grammar tasks.